1. Field of the Invention
The present invention is directed to a telephone billing management method for cellular telephones. Specifically, during the call set up signalling period, cumulative billing information for the present billing period is downloaded and displayed at the user""s location and duration and cost of the present call is calculated and displayed.
2. Information Disclosure Statement
U.S. Pat. No. 3,769,463 issued Oct. 30, 1973 to Graham et al teaches an electronic long distance telephone call computer and recorder for computing elapsed time and charges for a particular call as well as means for calculating a cumulative total of charges. General operation of the Graham apparatus requires first ascertaining from a chart the regular and overtime charges for the call to be made and programming that information into the apparatus. No such set-up on the part of the user is necessary with the present invention.
U.S. Pat No. 4,091,238 issued May 23, 1978 to Samuels et al. teaches an apparatus which calculates and displays the accrued cost of a telephone call capable of taking into account local and long distance call rates, message unit areas, etc.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,109,401 teaches a radio telecommunication device for use in an automobile radio communication apparatus (mobile cellular phone) capable of informing a user when a call charge for one call exceeds a preset call charge and which is also capable of stopping speech communication when such preset call charge has been exceeded and which is also capable of informing a user when an accumulated call charge for a plurality of calls exceeds a cumulative preset call charge.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,134,651 issued Jul. 28, 1992 to Ortiz et al teaches a pay telephone arrangement for a mobile phone wherein charges for a particular call are displayed to an owner and a user so that the call can be paid for immediately by the customer.
None of the prior art cited downloads the provider""s cumulative billing information for the current billing period during the call set up signalling period before the present call is stabilized as does the present invention. The present invention method provides more foresight and manageability to the subscriber than prior art methods.
The present invention is directed to a telephone billing management system method for cellular telephones. The objective is to provide the user of a cellular telephone a cost accounting and management tool. The amounts of various classes of service used in the current billing period are downloaded and displayed at the user phone terminal, for instance on the wireless handset. Specifically, cumulative billing information for the present billing period is downloaded and displayed at the user""s location during the call set up-period signalling period. The charge rate for the current call can also be downloaded. Once the call is stabilized, the duration (air time) and cost of the present call can be calculated and displayed in real time. Thus, for management purposes, the user has access to the provider""s information on all charges up to the present call and the duration and cost of the present call can be calculated and displayed in real-time without further burden on the provider.